Just bragging

jaywit wrote:Congrats Blondy, you have all the reason to be proud and brag upon it.  Bragging on your kids is accepted and expected!
My little girl is not so little anymore, turned 11 this past winter.  See how long we've been on this board?  I've been skiing since I was 11 years old and she started when she was 6.  She joined the race team this past year (which is on the late side for starting ski racing, they usually start at 6) and while she hasn't made it to the podium yet, she's become quite the skier, passes me up regularly on the black and double blacks.

SoxIlliniRob wrote:

jaywit wrote:Congrats Blondy, you have all the reason to be proud and brag upon it.  Bragging on your kids is accepted and expected!
My little girl is not so little anymore, turned 11 this past winter.  See how long we've been on this board?  I've been skiing since I was 11 years old and she started when she was 6.  She joined the race team this past year (which is on the late side for starting ski racing, they usually start at 6) and while she hasn't made it to the podium yet, she's become quite the skier, passes me up regularly on the black and double blacks.

Also awesome, Jay.  Good job.  If she has the guts to ski blacks and double blacks, she'll grow up tougher for it.

jaywit wrote:

SoxIlliniRob wrote:

jaywit wrote:Congrats Blondy, you have all the reason to be proud and brag upon it.  Bragging on your kids is accepted and expected!
My little girl is not so little anymore, turned 11 this past winter.  See how long we've been on this board?  I've been skiing since I was 11 years old and she started when she was 6.  She joined the race team this past year (which is on the late side for starting ski racing, they usually start at 6) and while she hasn't made it to the podium yet, she's become quite the skier, passes me up regularly on the black and double blacks.

Also awesome, Jay.  Good job.  If she has the guts to ski blacks and double blacks, she'll grow up tougher for it.

I had taken her on the steeps and she did ok but stayed behind me, making many turns.  Then she joins the ski team.  Two weeks later she and I go back to the steeps and she's pointing her tips straight down the hill.  Now she's one of those squirts that zip by the adults kicking up powder in her trail.

jaywit wrote:Congrats Blondy, you have all the reason to be proud and brag upon it.  Bragging on your kids is accepted and expected!
My little girl is not so little anymore, turned 11 this past winter.  See how long we've been on this board?  I've been skiing since I was 11 years old and she started when she was 6.  She joined the race team this past year (which is on the late side for starting ski racing, they usually start at 6) and while she hasn't made it to the podium yet, she's become quite the skier, passes me up regularly on the black and double blacks.

blondy28 wrote:Saturday, my son Jake graduated from UIC.  Took him 6 years (minute one semester off), but he did it.  Majored in English and minored in Political Science.  

My daughter is just finishing up her first year teaching French part-time at a Catholic school while going to grad school.  The Superintendent had been discussing a full-time position for her, and suggested that she teach 2 Spanish classes.  Before giving him an answer, the Superintendent advised the part-time Spanish teacher, who had been there for 14 years teaching Spanish full-time, that they wouldn't be renewing her contract.  Then they presented Gab with a full-time contract, that included her current load of French classes, and the two Spanish classes.  Gab decided not to sign the contract.  She said it would be too stressful to take on the 2 extra classes while she's finishing grad school.  The Superintendent was disappointed, and said he understood and he would give her a glowing recommendation.

Today, the Superintendent called Gab into his office and said he would give her 2 study halls, which would make her full-time.  It would more than double her salary, and allow her to do her grad school work during the study halls.  He said "I'm not going to make this easy for you.  We don't want to lose you."  She's been teaching for one year, and doesn't even have her teaching degree yet.

So it's been a proud couple of days at our house!

SoxIlliniRob wrote:

jaywit wrote:

SoxIlliniRob wrote:

jaywit wrote:Congrats Blondy, you have all the reason to be proud and brag upon it.  Bragging on your kids is accepted and expected!
My little girl is not so little anymore, turned 11 this past winter.  See how long we've been on this board?  I've been skiing since I was 11 years old and she started when she was 6.  She joined the race team this past year (which is on the late side for starting ski racing, they usually start at 6) and while she hasn't made it to the podium yet, she's become quite the skier, passes me up regularly on the black and double blacks.

Also awesome, Jay.  Good job.  If she has the guts to ski blacks and double blacks, she'll grow up tougher for it.

I had taken her on the steeps and she did ok but stayed behind me, making many turns.  Then she joins the ski team.  Two weeks later she and I go back to the steeps and she's pointing her tips straight down the hill.  Now she's one of those squirts that zip by the adults kicking up powder in her trail.

Those little brats drive me crazy.  I take back what I said.  LOL.

blondy28 wrote:

jaywit wrote:Congrats Blondy, you have all the reason to be proud and brag upon it.  Bragging on your kids is accepted and expected!
My little girl is not so little anymore, turned 11 this past winter.  See how long we've been on this board?  I've been skiing since I was 11 years old and she started when she was 6.  She joined the race team this past year (which is on the late side for starting ski racing, they usually start at 6) and while she hasn't made it to the podium yet, she's become quite the skier, passes me up regularly on the black and double blacks.

That's awesome, Jay!  We are not skiers in our family.  I grew up on ice skates, but the few times I went skiing I stayed on the bunny hill and thought I was going to die.  Getting off the lift while it's moving scared the shit out of me.  

The son of the people who live across the street is so good at snowboarding that he and his dad moved to Colorado a few years ago while the mother and daughter lived here.  They just sold their house, and will be moving to Colorado to support the son in his goal of making the olympics.  

Honestly, watching my kids compete on any level...good, bad, or just having fun...is one of the things I miss the most.  Enjoy every minute of that.

blondy28 wrote:

blondy28 wrote:Saturday, my son Jake graduated from UIC.  Took him 6 years (minute one semester off), but he did it.  Majored in English and minored in Political Science.  

My daughter is just finishing up her first year teaching French part-time at a Catholic school while going to grad school.  The Superintendent had been discussing a full-time position for her, and suggested that she teach 2 Spanish classes.  Before giving him an answer, the Superintendent advised the part-time Spanish teacher, who had been there for 14 years teaching Spanish full-time, that they wouldn't be renewing her contract.  Then they presented Gab with a full-time contract, that included her current load of French classes, and the two Spanish classes.  Gab decided not to sign the contract.  She said it would be too stressful to take on the 2 extra classes while she's finishing grad school.  The Superintendent was disappointed, and said he understood and he would give her a glowing recommendation.

Today, the Superintendent called Gab into his office and said he would give her 2 study halls, which would make her full-time.  It would more than double her salary, and allow her to do her grad school work during the study halls.  He said "I'm not going to make this easy for you.  We don't want to lose you."  She's been teaching for one year, and doesn't even have her teaching degree yet.

So it's been a proud couple of days at our house!

Although they would be doubling Gab's salary, Gab told the superintendent that with gas prices, she would need more money.  She asked for an additional $5600.  The Superintendent said he would have to get that approved.  On Thursday, he told her it was approved, and she signed the contract.  Obviously I'm incredibly proud of her for being such a good teacher that they're bending over backward for her, but I'm super impressed with her negotiating skills and the courage, as a first year teacher without a teaching degree, to just go in there and fight for her worth.